Image Communication Address Book Data Segmentation and Privacy Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image communication apparatuses face challenges in managing and exporting address book data, as not all devices support user-specific management, leading to potential disclosure of private address information during data transfer between devices.
Innovation Solution
A control method for image communication apparatuses that generates export files with type data indicating whether shared or private address book data is included, allowing designated storage in shared or private areas, and warns users about potential data sharing when importing private data into a shared area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If address book data is distributed from existing image communication apparatus to new image communication apparatus, then data sharing capability is improved, but private address information may be disclosed to apparatuses that do not support user-specific management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments address book data into two distinct types: shared address book data accessible by all users and private address book data accessible only by specific users. This segmentation allows the system to selectively export only shared data to apparatuses that do not support user-specific management, thereby preventing private information disclosure while maintaining data sharing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by adding type data to the export file that indicates whether the contained address book data is shared or private. This metadata enables the importing apparatus to appropriately handle the data based on its capabilities - storing shared data in accessible areas while preventing import or warning about private data, thus ensuring privacy security while allowing data sharing where supported.
2Adaptability or versatility
If address book data is exported to transportable media for use by multiple apparatuses, then data reusability is improved, but control over user-specific access is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the shared address book data from the complete address book, separating it from private data before export to transportable media. This extraction ensures that multi-apparatus reusability is achieved with shared data while access control information for private data is preserved in the source apparatus and not transferred, preventing loss of sensitive access control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary classification and filtering of address book data before the export process, pre-separating shared and private data. This preliminary action ensures that when data is exported to transportable media for multi-apparatus use, only appropriate shared data is included, preserving access control integrity while enabling data reusability.
3Reliability
If import operation is restricted only when apparatus can manage address book data for each user, then data privacy is protected, but data sharing flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic import behavior that adapts to the importing apparatus's capabilities. When the apparatus supports user-specific management, private address book data can be imported with full access control. When it does not support this feature, the system dynamically adjusts to import only shared data or display warnings, thus protecting privacy while maintaining flexibility across different apparatus types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal export format that includes type data indicating whether address book data is shared or private. This enables the export file to be universally compatible with different importing apparatuses - those with user-specific management capability can handle both shared and private data, while those without can still utilize shared data or receive appropriate warnings, thus achieving both privacy protection and sharing flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An image communication apparatus includes a storage unit including a shared address book area and an individual address book area, a communication unit configured to receive an import file including shared address book data shared among a plurality of users or private address book data limiting users who can utilize the data, and a CPU, and if the import file includes the private address book data and the shared address book area is designated as an import destination, the CPU warns the user that the private address book data may be shared and prevents the user from importing the import file.